Listed below are the learning outcomes currently used by the Department of English.
Undergraduate Program
Learning Outcomes for the Undergraduate English Major
- Literary coverage
Students will be familiar with the writers, historical periods, and literatures in English, including translations and multilingual texts, and be aware of the connection between texts, canon formation, and their historical and cultural contexts.
- Literary analysis
Students will be able to analyze and interpret different kinds of texts across media with attention to their genres, formal and rhetorical features, and historical and cultural contexts. Students will understand a range of critical theories and be able to use theory to deepen their interpretations of texts with consideration for intersectional perspectives and critiques.
- Linguistics
Students will know the grammatical structure of English and recognize cultural and linguistic varieties. Students will be aware of the intersectionality of language histories.
- Writing Studies
Students will understand writing processes and use their understanding of rhetorical concepts to produce effective writing. Students will be familiar with multiple literacies and discourses, recognizing the various ways in which people communicate depending on different rhetorical and sociocultural contexts.
- Research
Students will understand processes of inquiry and be able to locate and appropriately reference and evaluate scholarly sources while practicing ethical reasoning. Students will be able to effectively synthesize this research into their analysis and writing.
- Engagement and Application
Students will understand how the knowledge, skills, and critical mindsets they acquire in the program transfer to professional and community engagement opportunities and be able to apply their learning in a variety of contexts for the public good.
Graduate Program
Learning Outcomes for the Graduate English Major
Students will
1. Develop an understanding and appreciation of the power and beauty of written expression through the study of representative literary texts from diverse periods, genres, and cultures
2. Practice textual analysis with confidence and skill
3. Develop a multicultural understanding of their own and other cultures, past and present, through the historically contextualized study of language and literature
4. Be aware of the evolving roles of literature, aesthetics, and critical theory
5. Be able to develop and support original perspectives with precision, express themselves effectively and with clarity, and engage in constructive dialog with an awareness of multiple perspectives
6. Be able to conduct research in the field
7. Develop solid reading, writing, and critical thinking skills